Disney pursues Christian market

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Walt Disney is to promote its $US100 million ($125 million)
adaptation of C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe as a "Passion of the Christ for kids" in an
attempt to secure worldwide Christian support for the film.

Disney executives have organised private meetings with several
church groups in the US to emphasise the themes of Christian
redemption and sacrifice contained in the film, which will open in
December with an all-star cast.

They have also hired a public relations company to market the
film directly to Christian groups to ensure that the powerful
evangelical movement is happy with the content.

The film, which stars Tilda Swinton as the White Witch, will be
the first in a series of Disney blockbusters inspired by the seven
books in the Narnia series, whose author was known for his strong
Christian beliefs.

Lewis made it no secret that the epic children's stories were
Christian allegories and that the character Aslan, whose death and
resurrection is pivotal to the saga, was a Christ-like figure.

When it emerged in 2001 that Disney would be co-producing the
film, there were fears that the studio and Andrew Adamson, the
film's director, who made Shrek and Shrek 2, would
produce a secular version of the book, which was first published in
1950.

Now, however, some fans of the Narnia novels, which have sold
more than 85 million copies worldwide, say Disney could be in
danger of over-emphasising the religious elements of the
stories.

Internet message boards set up by Lewis enthusiasts are
cluttered with complaints by people worried about the likely
content. Others have expressed concern that cinemas will be
block-booked by Christians or that audiences will be targeted by
evangelicals looking for converts.

Such protests have, however, gone largely ignored because
harnessing the support of Christian groups is regarded by Hollywood
as an important means of securing box-office success.

The Passion of the Christ has taken more than $US600
million at the box office since its release last year, principally
because of the large number of Christians who went to see the film.
Similarly, the animated adventure The Polar Express, which
received poor reviews, became a hit after producers emphasised its
Christian credentials.

In an effort to ensure the Narnia film reaches a similar
audience, Disney has hired Motive Marketing, a public relations
company that specialises in reaching out to faith groups and was
widely credited with the success of The Passion of the
Christ.